Phuket Crime: Aussies, Russians Dominate Victims' List

PHUKET: The victims of crime as listed by Phuket police for the past three months are all Australians and Russians, with the exception of a lone Norwegian.

The list of victims is much shorter than the list of tourist and expat perpetrators, although many of the sins on that list are low-level misdemeanors.

Revealed for the first time is the name of the famous Australian footballer who was one of three Australians badly beaten at a nightclub in Patong.

He is Darren Senter, a former professional rugby league footballer who captained Sydney's Balmain Tigers from 1999 until 2004.

Mr Senter is believed to have been struck in the face with a glass and required plastic surgery back in Australia after the incident. The other men were attacked from behind, they say.

It's alleged the three Australians were ambushed by as many as 15 men at Rock City in the early hours of January 23.

Questions are still being asked at high levels as to what Patong police plan to do to make sure the attack is not repeated.

Missing from the list of victims are Derryn Ruolle and Tamara Robins, an Australian couple based in Hong Kong who say their room safe at the Manathai Resort in Surin was robbed of rings, computers and other items worth $20,000 while they ate dinner on Christmas Day.

A police report was made soon after at Cherng Talay Station. It's unclear why an alleged theft of goods said to total $20,000 has not made the list.

Phuket's honorary consuls meet with senior Phuket administrators and police at Provincial Hall in Phuket City to discuss tourist safety and security on Phuket this afternoon.